


Stupid

by Ship_theboybands



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-29
Updated: 2013-06-29
Packaged: 2017-12-16 14:00:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/862819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ship_theboybands/pseuds/Ship_theboybands
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryder isn't stupid, except he kind of is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stupid

See Ryder’s not an idiot. He’s doesn’t slack off, he’s not lazy and he has more determination than any of these jerks. But because he was born with dyslexia, and because he had to quietly ask Blaine to read his class schedule to him, and because a couple of guys on the football team heard, he is now having this untrue statement repeated to him in-between classes. And it sucks.

They’re subtle too, and creative sometimes. One time they hacked open his locker, stole all his books, replacing them with alphabet learning books. Ryder would have been impressed by how elaborate it was if he wasn’t so busy crying in a toilet stall.   
No one ever really notices, and he never really tells anyone, because he’s really embarrassed that it gets to him. He doesn’t care when they call him _faggot_ because he knows that being queer isn’t anything to be ashamed of, and he doesn’t care when they call him _ugly_ because he’s confident about his appearance, but when they call him _stupid_ , he starts thinking maybe he is. And being stupid is something to be ashamed of. 

Ryder thinks he gets it worst than the other glee guys because he’s an easy target, and because he reacts while they don’t, and because bullies don’t find someone with dyslexia threatening. They think he’s too stupid to stand up for himself, and he is. He’s too embarrassed to tell anyone that could put a stop to it, be it Jake or an adult, and the bully’s know it. They attack him quietly where no one else can see; in his head. Until they get bored of that and attack his body too.

It’s a Tuesday when it happens, after football practice. Ryder thinks he’s alone in the locker room, and is going to stay late to lift weights because he has a free period, but he hears sneakers squeaking against tiles and accepts the inevitable. There are seven of them. Seven people took time out of their lives to come and beat the crap out of Ryder, and he thinks it’s such a waste. Seven people without Dyslexia are using their fists when they could be using their heads. They round the corner, 3 on one side, 4 on the other, and corner him like they’re in some shitty mafia movie. At this point Ryder’s heart is rabbiting because he _doesn’t want to get beaten up_. 

“Hey stupid-ass, guess what time it is!” Harry, a senior who’s built like Hulk asks, and he’s shoving his watch in Ryder’s face, “go on, if you get it right I’ll let you past,” He laughs, and then they’re all laughing and Ryder thinks he’s going to be sick. He tries to push past him but gets backed up into the locker, and Harry stinks of sweat and alcohol, it’s clear that they are all very drunk. “I said _guess the time_!” He punctuates each word slowly like he’s talking to a toddler, dangling the watch in front of Ryder’s face. Ryder winces at the thing dangling in front of him but all the numbers are swimming and he can’t tell which hand is bigger, under normal circumstances he would just remember that practice finishes at 12:30 and he takes about ten minutes to change and he’d talked to Jake and Sam for about fifteen before they left, and under normal circumstances he would know the time. He would add the minuets he’s been here to the time he left the field ,but he’s shaking with fear and Harry’s breathing down his neck and he _just can’t think_.

“I-I don’t know,” He squeaks which seems to make Harry mad because he pulls Ryder forward by about ten centimetres before sending him crashing back against the lockers. His back aches like fuck, and it makes a sharp noise that rattles in his ears. 

“No, you have to guess!” Harry insists and Ryder pushes hard against him, managing to throw him off. He runs, however, straight into some other jerks chest, who shoves him hard, sending him crashing to the floor.

“GUESS!” Harry yells, kicking him hard in the belly. Ryder feels all air escape his lungs and he doubles over in pain, fighting back the tears behind his eyes because he can’t cry now, that’s not even an option. Just when he’s regained his breath, though, they all start kicking him. In his chest, and his stomach, one makes contact with the back of his head. Everything throbs after that and his ears ring; the colours in front of his face are too vivid so he squeezes his lids shut. His mouth tastes like copper and everything smells like beer. And everything hurts.

Suddenly they stop, and Ryder realises he’s yelling because it’s the only noise left in the room. He opens his eyes to see coach Beast stood frozen in the doorway with a look of rage on her face, Jake stood close behind her. Ryder feels one last trainer make contact with his ribs, and whimpers quietly, before the guys from the team are legging it and Jake’s running over to him with a panicked expression.

“Holy shit, you’re fucking bleeding!” Jake gasps, and the room’s swimming and everything hurts ten times worse than before.  
“m’fine,” Ryder lies because he’s starting to process how fucking embarrassing this situation is.

“Shut up, I’m taking you to the nurse.” Jake decides, pulling Ryder up and wrapping an arm round his waist. Ryder tries to stand on his own but then he nearly falls down again so he settles for putting as little weight on Jake as is possible without losing balance. 

“I don’t need a nurse man, I’m _fine _,” he says, felling his face get hot.  
Jake half carries him to the nurses office, and it’s lucky that most people are in class because the people who they pass in the hall stare at Ryder and say things like “Well he got fucked up,” and it’s more than a little bit mortifying.__

__Ryder has bruised ribs and a black eye and concussion, but nothings broken, and the nurse says that if he just takes it easy he should be fine, but all the way through her diagnosis Jake is looking angrier and angrier ,and when she mentions that Ryder might have internal bleeding he sort of loses his shit._ _

__“Ryder, you tell me who did this to you and I swear I will kill them.” He says, and Ryder’s never seen him so angry. His head hurts though and he feels really dizzy so he can’t process how to say words that well.  
“You don’t- worrying… it’s-um- just, I’m okay because the kicking, um, I’m not- they think I’m stupid.” He mumbles and then Jake’s eyes go soft and he sits back down and suggests Ryder should lie down._ _

__It turns out Ryder doesn’t have internal bleeding. He takes a couple of days off school, his mother fusses and Harry is suspended, but Ryder honestly can’t remember who the other guys were. He goes back to school on a Monday and every time he sees a lettermen jacket he flinches. He’s trying not to show it but he’s pretty terrified._ _

__Most of the glee club are confused and angry but there just sympathetic towards him throughout the week ,and he gets more than one song dedicated to him, so that’s nice. But Jake… Jake’s not left his side once. He walks Ryder to class and when class is over he’s there waiting for him outside the door. He eats lunch with him, sits next to him in glee, and when school’s done he walks him home and stays for dinner. It’s kind of sweet, and more than a little weird, and obviously upsetting Marley a lot, but Ryder can’t help but just enjoy Jakes company. He thinks it might be a sort of protective thing, and that makes Ryder’s stomach flip for reasons he’s not going to go into._ _

__Tuesday is football practice and Ryder is, with loss for a nicer word, _shitting _himself. His hands are numb and he’s breathing too fast but he has to go, if he doesn’t it just proves that they were right. That Ryder is weak and that they can manipulate him and that he’s too _stupid _to stand up for himself. He has to shows them that they don’t scare him. But they do._____ _

______“Ryder, are you sure you want to go? I’m sure coach Beast won’t mind if you miss one session.” Jake says when Ryder halts suddenly outside the locker room and starts gnawing at his lip franticly. Ryder winces and nods his head.  
“Doc says exercise should be good for the ribs,” He says, “get the muscles working again.” He pulls his bag up his shoulder and braces himself before opening the door._ _ _ _ _ _

______None of the guys make comment because they know that Harry got suspended, and if coach Beast sees any of them acting off towards Ryder then they’re suspects, and they don’t want to get suspended. He gets some cold looks though._ _ _ _ _ _

______Ryder feels better when he’s on the pitch than he has all week. It’s kind of cold but it’s just making everything more intense, more vivid. He’s got the ball and he’s running faster than he ever has done, and his ribs don’t hurt, and the dew left on the grass from last night’s rain is whipping against his feet and hitting his legs and he feels _invincible_. This is of course the moment that Hayden Miller crashes into him, sending him flying across the pitch. His ribs hurt again. He sits up, clutching his sides, and Miller’s smiling at him when he says _ _ _ _ _ _

______“Sorry, Lynn, didn’t see you there,” in a voice that doesn’t sound all that sorry. Jake then proceeds to punch him in the face.  
Jake and Hayden are both dragged off the pitch to Principal Figgins’ office before Ryder can say _what the fuck_._ _ _ _ _ _

_______**From: Jake  
To: Ryder  
 _dude r u ok??_** _ _ _ _ _

__________**From: Ryder  
To: Jake  
 _yh, fine, why did u do tht?_  
From: Jake  
To: Ryder  
 _that asshole hit u on purpose I bet anything he was 1 of the guys who beat u up_** _ _

_______**From: Ryder  
To: Jake  
 _u cud get suspended_** _ _ _ _ _

_______**From: Jake  
To: Ryder  
 _dnt care about that_** _ _ _ _ _

_______**From: Ryder  
To: Jake  
 _thanks man, but u didn’t hav to do tht_** _ _ _ _ _

_______**From Jake  
To: Ryder  
 _I wanted 2_** _ _ _ _ _

______Ryder’s feels kind of embarrassed and kind of happy but mostly stupid. It’s embarrassing that he can’t stand up for himself, but the fact Jake would risk getting suspended for him is sweet, but he spent 5 minutes reading each text. He falls back onto  
his bed and groans._ _ _ _ _ _

______Jake doesn’t get suspended but he gets detention, meaning he can’t be constantly at Ryder’s side. This means Ryder gets slammed into a lot more lockers than the past few days. It’s Friday, and Tyler White smells like sweat, and he shoulders past him heavily saying “Move out of the way, idiot.” When Ryder decides he’s done._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I’m not an idiot,” He says quietly but Tyler hears and whirls round to face him._ _ _ _ _ _

______“What did you say?” He barks, and a fleck of spit hits under Ryder’s eye. He wipes it away with his thumb and repeats himself._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I’m not an idiot.” He says louder._ _ _ _ _ _

______“So that’s why you can’t read?” White asks mockingly._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I read slower that you because I’m dyslexic but I’m not an idiot,” Ryder’s voice is shaking slightly but he’s been pushed into too many lockers today._ _ _ _ _ _

______“You can’t even tell the time dumbass, plus you’re a faggot,” He shrugs._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Just back off!” Ryder groans._ _ _ _ _ _

______“You know what, idiot, you’re fucking stupid and talking to you is lowering my IQ,” he says, lifting his fist, and Ryder braces himself. But then Sam is shoving Tyler out of the way and Blaine is touching Ryder’s shoulder and asking if he’s okay. Which is pretty cool except Ryder just got ‘rescued’ again and he wants to stand up for himself._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I’m fine, thanks guys,” He says through gritted teeth before he’s walking off down the hall, face red._ _ _ _ _ _

______It’s getting ridiculous now because at least one of the guys from glee has walked him to each of his classes, it’s like they’re on some kind of rota for while Jake’s in detention and on Friday when Sam, Jake, Blaine, Artie and Joe all appear out of nowhere on his way to history he snaps._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Look, guys, I appreciate you, like, watching out for me but you’re my friends, not my body guards!”  
Most of them just look amused by this but Jake looks almost embarrassed._ _ _ _ _ _

______“That’s not what this is,” Blaine smiles and Jake hits him._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I’ll see you after class, okay?”Jake asks before pushing all the guys down the hall and away from him. Ryder’s kind of confused._ _ _ _ _ _

______Jake’s been acting weird all week. He completely ignored Ryder on Monday but when he confronted him about it he got all flustered and said he wasn’t trying to avoid him. The rest of their encounters had just been awkward a weird. He’s stopped stalking him to every class though so that’s kind of a plus. The Football Team’s stopped bothering him as much as well because now they know Jake would get the entire glee club on them if they so much as looked at him funny, which is definitely a plus. But Ryder’s losing his best friend and that sucks. The negatives cancel out the plusses. (Ryder failed maths). On Wednesday he corners him after glee._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Why are you acting so weird?”He asks, sinking into the chair next to Jake._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I’m not, you’re acting weird!” Jake retorts immediately and Blaine snickers on his way out of the door, Jake glares at him._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Okay, are you going to tell me what’s up?” Ryder asks, and Jake sighs heavily._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Me and Marley broke up.” He says, and of all the things Ryder thought might of come out of Jakes mouth it wasn’t that._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Dude, I’m so sorry-“ He starts but Jake holds a hand up to stop him._ _ _ _ _ _

______“We broke up like a month ago actually, I’m okay.” He says._ _ _ _ _ _

______“What?” Jake double takes because he swears they were holding hands yesterday._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Okay I’m just going to say it,” Jake says, “I’m just going to tell you.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Jake-“_ _ _ _ _ _

______“I’m Gay. Marley was being, like, my beard or whatever. I don’t know,” he shrugs, and his eyes are full of worry. Ryder lets out  
a sigh._ _ _ _ _ _

______“That’s what you were worried about telling me?” Ryder smiles and Jake nods sheepishly, “You do realise I’m like a _flaming_ bisexual?” _ _ _ _ _ _

______“Huh?” Jake goes bright red and his eyes grow to the size of dish plates._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Yeah, I thought you knew”Ryder shrugs and Jake shakes his head,“ Well, glad we cleared that up, want to go get a bite to eat?”_ _ _ _ _ _

_______It’s Monday again, and they’re playing video games in Ryder’s room, and Ryder finds himself looking at Jake more than usual. He keeps glancing over and Jake’s got his tongue poking out in concentration and the white light’s from the game are flashing against his tan skin, and he looks really attractive. And Ryder really, really wants to kiss him. And he thinks in the back of his mind he’s kind of wanted to kiss him all week. They’re halfway through a game when Ryder clicks pause, pushes the controller away from him and crashes his lips to Jakes. Jake doesn’t move his lips and Ryder sighs, leaning away.  
“Sorry,” he says.  
“Did Blaine tell you I like you? Because that little fucker promised he wouldn’t!” Jake squeaks. _oh_._ _ _ _ _

______It’s snowing, and the park looks like someone spilt icing sugar everywhere. Ryder pulls Jake’s hand into his, lacing their fingers together and Jake giggles, ducking his head. Jake bashes their shoulders together playfully, and Ryder nudges him back, and soon there’s a full scale snowball fight ending with Ryder wrapping his arms around Jake’s little waist and lifting him into the air, Jake squealing and struggling until they both land in a heap, Jake twists beneath Ryder and pulls him so they lay opposite each other. Ryder nuzzles their noses together and plants a soft kiss to chapped lips, and thinks he was _stupid_ not to notice sooner._ _ _ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically the longest thing i've ever written and i could have done more with it but i'm a dumb idiot. Also Jyder is perfect perfection. Also i made up the names of all the mean football dudes. k bye.


End file.
